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When it comes to facial skin care needs, Americans are looking for multi-functioning products that tackle several skin care essentials quickly and take it easy on their bank accounts.

According to new research from Mintel, 42% of consumers seek products with multiple benefits, 37% say they only purchase products from brands they trust and nearly a quarter (24%) are looking for facial skin care products that are “free-from” certain ingredients.

“The facial skin care category is expected to see an uptick in growth thanks to improving economic conditions and emerging segments,” noted Shannon Romanowski, beauty and personal care analyst at Mintel. “Consumers are gravitating toward multifunctional products that allow them to get more benefits while saving them both time and money. ‘Natural’ and ‘free from’ claims are important, and the level of consumer demand means that they have almost become expected in this category. Therefore, improved functionality and multiple benefits garner higher levels of consumer interest, suggesting opportunities for eco-friendly brands to tout natural ingredients as a way to support product efficacy.”

When using facial skin care, most consumers are looking for basic functionality, such as cleansing (64%) and treating dry skin (41%). However, the number of facial product users wanting to improve the texture of skin has increased significantly since 2012. Some 36% of facial skin care users report improving skin texture as a reason for using facial skin care in 2013 as opposed to 21% in 2012, according to results of a recent Mintel survey.

“The idea of improving skin texture is resonating across all age groups, indicating a growth opportunity for the category. Improving skin texture speaks to women and men alike, as the idea of a more perfect and flawless complexion is broadly appealing,” added Romanowski.

Anti-aging skin care is the largest segment in the facial skin care category, accounting for nearly 40% of sales, said Mintel.